NAMI Calls for Increase in NIH Funding

Statement of Michael J. Fitzpatrick
NAMI Executive Director

October 21, 2009

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is pleased to join other disease advocacy organizations in support of the "Research Means Hope" movement to ensure that the president’s FY 2011 budget meets the goal of making biomedical research funding a national priority.

Investment in medical research is the source of hope for people living with serious mental illness.

Direct and indirect costs of mental illness impact the federal budget overall and state and local communities nationwide, including a substantial and growing burden imposed on "default" systems such as emergency rooms, homeless shelters, police, jails and prisons.

Adequate investment in research on schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression and other disorders is essential for our nation to address these human and financial costs.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has received more than $368 million in ARRA funding to support meritorious grants and invest in new "challenge" grants and "grand opportunity" grants.

President Obama needs to continue this investment in his FY 2011 budget proposal.

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